High Speed 1 - Blog Posts

First time in the Channel Tunnel!

Hard to believe, given that I have family on both sides of the Channel, that this month was the first time I used the Tunnel! For a long time, I've lived on the Western side of France and travelled in a car, so going to Calais to catch the shortest ferry links or LeShuttle never made sense compared to a relaxing six-hour crossing from a port in Normandy. Now I live in Eastern France and don't use a car, so the train is a no-brainer, and finally, I took the Eurostar from Lille to London.

On paper, the trip is amazing: just 90 minutes, roughly 30 on the French high-speed line, 30 in the tunnel, and 30 on High Speed 1 in England. Buuuuut... you need to get to the departure station around 60 minutes early for security and border checks, there's not a lot to do in the densely populated waiting area, and once on the train, I found it quite hard to relax in the hard, narrow seats under rather harsh lighting. While the ride was quick and operations felt reliable, the comfort of some regional trains has won me over more swiftly. That said, I've also been underwhelmed by the German ICE 3 (BR 407), which is the same Siemens Velaro D model as the Eurostar e320.

The Channel Tunnel turned 30 this year, with the French high-speed line connected to it upon opening and TGV-derived stock at the ready (now called the Eurostar e300, left), while the UK finished their high-speed line to London in 2007 (plaque at St. Pancras, right). Since then, it's been possible to go from London to Paris or Brussels in under two and a half hours (not counting security before boarding).

And there I was, starting to think I'd be riding the Seikan Tunnel before the Channel Tunnel!